COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – University of Wyoming junior and Laramie, Wyo., native John Murdock has been named the Mountain West Men's Golfer of the Month, the league office announced Thursday. With an individual title and two additional top-five finishes to start the 2017-18 season, Murdock is the first Cowboy golfer to earn a weekly or monthly honor from the conference since Ryan Wallen on April 6, 2016.
 
"This is a nice recognition of John (Murdock)'s play this month by this exceptional conference," UW head coach Joe Jensen said about the award. "I'm proud of John. He's played well and is deserving (of the award). John has grown comfortable with himself as an athlete. He's competitive, he has a good process and he has good mechanics. He is trying to get a little better each day. This is kind of a culmination of what everyone's doing in working hard and trying to make the next step."
 
Murdock began the 2017-18 season with an individual title at the Gene Miranda Falcon Invitational, leading the Cowboys to a team tournament win as he set the UW program record for individual 54-hole score at 202 (-14). In doing so, Murdock became the first Cowboy to win a tournament since teammate Drew McCullough in 2014. His second-round 65 (-7) tied the third-best single-round score in Cowboy golf history.
 
Murdock backed up his season-opening win with a runner-up finish at the Ram Masters Invitational, posting rounds of 66 (-4), 68 (-2) and 70 (E) on his way to a total score of 204 (-6). He then tied for fifth at the Mark Simpson Colorado Invitational earlier this week, carding a tournament score of 209 (-7).
 
The Cowboy junior has finished below just one fellow Mountain West competitor so far this fall on his way to three top-five finishes. All nine of Murdock's rounds this season have been at or below par, and his scoring average of 68.33 is currently tied for 11^th in the NCAA according to Golfstat.com. Meanwhile, Murdock's 37 birdies tie him for the fourth-best total in the NCAA so far this season.
 
Murdock's accolade from the conference puts him in elite company as he joins Wallen and current PGA tour member David Hearn as the only three men's golfers in Wyoming history to earn a weekly or monthly honor from the Mountain West. Wallen was named Mountain West Men's Golfer of the Week on April 6, 2016, while Hearn earned the weekly award from the conference during its inaugural season on April 20, 2000.
 
Murdock will attempt to lead Wyoming to another top-three finish in the team standings as the Cowboys head to the Paintbrush Invitational in Parker, Colo., on Oct. 9-10. Stay tuned to @wyo_golf on twitter for more information as the event approaches.